Staff Computational Biologist
About Karius
Karius is a venture-backed life sciences startup transforming the way pathogens and other microbes are observed throughout the body. By unlocking the information present in microbial cell-free DNA, we're helping doctors quickly solve their most challenging cases, accelerating industry partners’ biomarker discovery and clinical trials, uncovering novel microbes, and ultimately working to reduce patient suffering worldwide.
Position Summary
You are curious, creative, and driven to make a meaningful impact on patients. As a key member of the Computational Biology team, you will develop and improve algorithms that are central to maximizing the value of our data. You’ll operate at the cutting edge of computational biology, collaborating across disciplines to solve complex problems and innovate where existing solutions fall short. This role is ideal for a self-starter who thrives in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment and has a passion for scientific rigor and quality.
Why Should You Join Us?
Karius is dedicated to advancing the understanding and diagnosis of infectious diseases through innovation in genomic sequencing and machine learning. Our platform is delivering unprecedented insights into the microbial landscape, enabling clinicians to identify more than a thousand pathogens directly from blood with a comprehensive test. As part of the Karius team, your work will directly impact patient lives at scale. You'll be surrounded by talented scientists, engineers, and clinicians united by a common mission and a culture of excellence.
Reports to:
Director, Computational BiologyLocation: Redwood City, CA (Hybrid) or Remote (USA)
Primary Responsibilities
•Lead the design, development, implementation, validation and improvement of novel computational methods and algorithms to extract actionable insights from high-dimensional biological data.
•Lead the design and development of computational pipelines for analyzing complex, high-dimensional NGS and other biological datasets.
•Contribute to strategic planning and scientific direction for computational biology within the company, influencing roadmap decisions and investment in infrastructure.
•Drive cross-functional collaboration with colleagues in Assay Development, Analytics, Research, Engineering, Molecular Biology, and Medical Affairs to understand data properties, clinical context, and opportunities for improvement.
•Drive data interpretation and biological contextualization of findings; author technical elements of publications, presentations and regulatory submissions.
•Stay current on emerging trends in computational biology, metagenomics, statistics, and software engineering, and proactively apply relevant advances to enhance analytical capabilities and scientific rigor.
•Explore diverse approaches to modeling and problem-solving across quantitative disciplines.
•Share a passion for ensuring the quality of our computational methods.
What’s Fun About the Job?
Karius is operating at the frontier of infectious disease diagnostics, defining what’s next in clinical metagenomics. You’ll work on novel and impactful scientific problems, applying some of the most advanced technologies available. Whether refining algorithms or designing entirely new methods, your contributions will play a central role in transforming patient care and accelerating scientific discovery.
Travel Requirements
Ability to travel to HQ once per quarter for team events, if remote.
Physical Requirements
Subject to extended periods of sitting and/or standing, and moderate noise levels. Work is generally performed in an office environment.
Position Requirements
•Ph.D. or Masters in computer science, statistics, mathematics, physics, or a related field, preferably with a focus on computational biology.
•Proven experience in biotech, pharma, or relevant industry settings: minimum required experience with PhD is 5+ years, Masters is 8+ years.
•Demonstrated track record of developing novel quantitative models for biological data, as shown through relevant publications.
•Expertise and ability to innovate in probabilistic models (e.g., Dirichlet processes).
•Expertise with NGS/bioinformatics, statistics, and machine learning tools for analysis of high-dimensional datasets.
•Experience in diagnostics is highly desirable, and experience with database technologies is a plus.
•Excellent communication skills and ability to thrive in collaborative, cross-functional teams.
•Comfortable working in a small, agile team where responsibilities span both research and development, and able to shift focus as needed to meet evolving project goals.
Personal Qualifications
•Passionate and purpose-driven with a deep connection to Karius’ mission.
•Comfortable in a hybrid research-development environment.
•Detail-oriented, organized, and effective in a fast-paced startup setting.
•Eager to grow and help others grow as part of a collaborative, learning-focused team.
•Strong scientific curiosity and a drive to solve complex biological problems through data.
•Adaptable and resilient in the face of ambiguity and evolving priorities.
•Committed to scientific integrity, transparency, and rigor in every aspect of work.
•Excellent communicator who can translate technical insights into actionable biological understanding.
Disclaimer
The above job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and skills required. Responsibilities and duties may change or be adjusted to meet the needs of the company, and additional duties may be assigned as necessary. The job description is subject to change at any time at the discretion of Karius.
Equal Opportunity Employer
At Karius, we value a diverse and inclusive workplace and provide equal employment opportunities for all applicants and employees and are committed to honor and invest in the full diversity of people, in our hiring, recruiting and development of employees across the Company. All qualified applicants for employment are encouraged to apply and will be considered without regard to an individual’s race, color, sex, gender identity and gender expression, including transgender individuals who are transitioning, have transitioned, or are perceived to be transitioning to the gender with which they identify, religion, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local laws. If you are unable to submit your application due to a disability, please contact us at [email protected] and we will accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities.
(Compensation offerings will be based on the candidate's geographic location.)
Apply to this Job